I believe cooking should be a pleasurable and simple experience, which is why most of the recipes I post are easy to follow, quick to make, but bursting with flavour. These cupcakes are quick and simple to make, with a delightful lemon flavour, and a slight crunchy seedy texture.

170g self raising flour
170g butter
130g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
Rind and juice of 2 lemons

Makes 9

For most of my sponge cakes, I no longer cream the butter and sugar first, I have found with a good electric mixer, either hand held or stand alone. as long as you mix well, you can add all the ingredients together in one go.

First, preheat your oven to gas mark 4, line a muffin tin with paper cases, then add the flour, butter, eggs, baking powder and sugar to your mixing bowl. Put on a medium speed and mix until combined. I generally mix mine for 10 minutes.

If you have a stand alone mixture, you can use this time to rind and juice your lemons.

Make sure the mixture is smooth, then add the lemon juice, and mix again. This mixture become very light, and may look a little too sloppy at this stage, but it will all be ok.

Once the juice is combined, add the poppy seeds and rind. I then mix this part by hand with my trusty wooden spoon. Try and make sure you get a good distribution of rind and seeds through the cake batter.

Divide the mixture between the cases, place in the middle of your oven and bake for 25 minutes.

These cakes are delicious. You could top them with a real lemony buttercream, or, as I was planning make a runny lemon icing to drizzle over the cakes, or, as I have just been told, leave them plain. It seems, in this household, plain is the preferred option.

Happy baking